Saturday, January 21, 2006

A Story close to its sell by date.

The News of the World had either been sitting on this for a while perhaps some years waiting for Oaten's political value to increase, or they dug the dirt during the past few weeks on the off chance that he may win the leadership.

Either way when Mark withdrew this week the story became a ripe pear about to go past its sell by date. They had to publish this weekend before Mark Oaten slides out of the front page news.

Now this makes me wonder what they have on the other candidates, stories waiting for their moment to come.

The story is recent (the male prostitute claims that Mark was a customer in 2004).

I guess this character felt he had a chance to make some money. Nothing more, nothing less. A wholly amoral individual. But the downside for him is that no customer will trust him ever again.

As for the NOS, it was an opportunity to attack a political party which threatens the interests of its boss (Rupert Murdoch) and the forces he represents.

The tabloids had a raft of stories about David Cameron lined up last Autumn, but none of them appeared. That was because Murdoch and his friends decided that Cameron, not Davis, was their man.

Other senior Liberal Democrats should watch their backs.

But do remember. Some public figures are left alone by the press, even though there are heaps of dirt on them (remember Tom Driberg and William Boothby?). I can think of at least one Lib Dem in this category, but won't stoop to naming him.